Visa exemption extended for Western European visitors
Tourists from the UK, France, Germany, Spain and Italy will enjoy visa exemptions for the next three years until June 30, 2021, from July 1, 2018, when travelling to Vietnam.
Ke Ga beach in Vietnam's central Binh Thuan province (Source: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Tourists from the UK, France, Germany, Spain and Italywill enjoy visa exemptions for the next three years until June 30, 2021, fromJuly 1, 2018, when travelling to Vietnam.
The country first offered visa waivers forcitizens from the five European countries in July, 2015. The policy has beenupdated annually and would have expired at the end of June.
The continued visa exemption is expected topush up the development of the Vietnamese tourism sector.
The number of tourists from these countriesto Vietnam soared in recent years, with 720,000 in 2015, 855,000 in 2016, and1,500,000 in 2017.
Vietnam is among countries with thestrictest visa policy in Asia. The country currently offers visa waivers tovisitors from 24 countries and territories, including the ASEAN membercountries.
The country has tried to improve thesituation with an e-visa policy which is now available to people from 46countries.
The government is also considering aproposal from the Vietnam Tourism Association on the extension of the period ofstay from 15 to 30 days and expansion of visa exemptions for more countries.
In the first five months of this year,foreign arrivals to Vietnam surpassed 6.7 million, up 27.6 percent annually,according to the General Statistics Office.
The number of European visitors rose by11.8 percent year-on-year, including those from France (13.1 percent), the UK(9.6 percent), Germany (8.5 percent), and Italy (18.3 percent).-VNA
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Ke Ga beach in Vietnam's central Binh Thuan province (Source: VNA) 
